Salman Khan- Top Ten Acting Performances

Ready hits screens this week. And it looks like Salman Khan bonanza over the next 4 months- with Bodyguard being ‘readied’ for an Eid release. This post is about what I feel are the top 10 performances by Salman Khan in his almost 22 year long career till now. He is indisputably a huge star- but few believe in his acting prowess- and that is not surprising coz of the kind of roles he pitches in with from time to time- but no one- who has even an iota of ‘samajh’ about acting- can deny that he is one of the most natural and charming actors to be born on the Hindi movie silver-screen- so here goes

Maine Pyaar Kiya/ Hum Aapke hain Kaun: Raw charm and simplicity exuded with such an understated aura- that few could say that Salman Khan was being an actor in these films. He was Prem- the ‘devar’, the son, the brother, the friend, the lover… It is a credit to the man that he could do such roles with such confidence- because any lesser actor could have been typecast in such family guy mould- and could never break away-

Veergati/Karan Arjun: Playing an anguished man at war with the world and with himself, Salman Khan excelled in an avatar that was poles apart from his alter-ego PREM. Sadly Veergati never got him the recognition he deserved- and in Karan Arjun he shared credit with another emerging superstar SRK. I am not sure about this but it might have been possible that Salman was shooting for HAHK and Karan Arjun at the same time- and if true this alone is testament to his ability to switch characters remarkably well.

Tere Naam: This came out when he was on an all time personal low. And what a performance did he put up for his fans to enjoy. Playing the brat, jilted lover in the first half and a mentally ill man in the other, he excelled. This character of Radhey claimed to have the shades of Salman Khan the person- and this actually led to him starting to put shades of himself in his characters- and that backfired in many movies.

Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya: Now people might say- it was just a reguar romcom- decent- but what was the scope for performance- to them I would say- sucks to you  - histrionics is not acting- and anyone who appreciates this fact might also appreciate this act of Salman- Suraj- very much carrying the entire film on his shoulders- he delivered one of his most entertaining movies- and also started a few trends- As the persevering lover, willing to shun all his wealth for true love, Suraj came across as an extremely likable chap- and the ultimate lover

Jab Pyaar Kisi se Hota Hai: Playing an alcoholic, rich, spoilt womanizer (repeated this act in some other lesser movies), Salman Khan portrayed vulnerability and love superbly, and the relationship he shared with his kid- was one of the most beautiful father son relationships seen in Indian cinema.

Dabangg: Now this one is special. Not just because it broke some box office records. But because it gave us India’s first rural, rooted, traditional, human superhero- while watching Chulbul Pandey mouth his one-liners, who can say that this beefy guy is the same one who was once ‘Prem’ of Indian Households.

Veer: Now this one didnt go as expected. Salman’s brainchild, he put in his heart and soul in the performance- although his look received a lot of criticism in many scenes of the movie where he looked haggard ( dyed long hair)- The story was a letdown- the romantic track was cheesy- and there were lots of things about the movie that didnt work- and sadly that led to Salman getting no praise for his exceptional portrayal of a warrior. If the result would have been as good as the idea on paper- I am READY to bet that Salman would have won the awards- he later won for Dabangg- for this movie.

Jaaneman: I cant imagine that the man who made this gem of a movie later made Tees Maar Khan. Shirish Kunder gave one Salman one of his best and most difficult roles- he was shedding tears for most of the second half (usually tough heroes don’t cry on screen). I am at a loss of words here- again the scenes between Salman and his little daughter are the cutest and most beautiful ones ever between a man and his kid in Indian cinema.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam/ Khamoshi: Both Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films these had Salman playing lovable and naughty charmers- in both he was a musician.. and in both he had tough climax scenes to perform- now people may say that he overacted- but he acted in a manner that were extensions to his characters- the way Suraj cried in the climax is how Suraj was throughout the movie- I don’t know about acting gurus or crtics- but for me they were great pieces of living the character- if SLB would have thought of them as shoddy acting performances- he wouldnt have let them come out the way they did…

Last but in no way the least-

Andaz Apna Apna : Both were idiots- but he was the duffer- he was the sidekick- he was the loser- he lacked wit- he lacked charm- he got overshadowed and he got beaten- But wasnt that how it was supposed to be? I feel what Aamir did in AAA, almost any good actor could have done- but what Salman did in AAA- few could have even attempted- AAA has to be his most underrated ‘acting’ performance- sadly…

The ones that almost made it- London Dreams, Saajan, and Judwaa.

I say things which are very politically Incorrect - Salman Khan

You seem to drive interviews pretty much on your own track, with the interviewer being a bystander. 
At home, when I give interviews, I make sure that I don't say anything that is rude or offensive; I run it according to what the sense of humour (acceptable) in the family is. They shouldn't get offended, shouldn't think yeh badtameez hai, I run it that way. My father could not whistle in front of his father. Today my father gives me the right to have a drink with him. These are the guidelines I follow in interviews or in other things. 

And then there are questions on things – on a song that has nothing to do with me, because the song's lyrics go "Character Dheela Hai". There are questions on and on about marriage – nobody knows when they will be born, when they'll die, what will things be like tomorrow, but I'm expected to declare when I'll be married. These are just questions to egg people on... There are hazaar ways of making interesting interviews. You don't need to cheapen it. 

This has been happening quite a bit with the "Character Dheela" song. I have no contribution to the song. The music director has made the song; I thought the lyrics were funny. Now, I have to make up things. I am asked – haan toh bataiye, iss industry mein kiska character dheela hai? Now, do you seriously think someone like me will ever comment on that? 

In an earlier interview, you spoke of people egging you on like kids teasing a lion in a zoo, to get a reaction. 
Yes, but I tell them, I will give you something for your promo anyway if you simply ask me. Don't need to ask silly stuff. I am not boring because I will say what I believe, I say things which are very politically incorrect – which is the most correct thing to do. The whole world would be knowing something and still pretending that it doesn't happen – that's all bull****. I'll be honest. 

In some questions the degree of honesty has to be restricted because on TV or in a paper there's no "A" certificate. If everyone who read or saw what I had to say was my age group, thought like me, I'd give a completely honest reply to all questions. But there are kids following us. Eventually everyone's gonna grow up, but it's good for them not to grow up before their time. 

This is the same argument you have used when you were angry at someone clicking you with a cigarette? 
Yes, it happened in Delhi itself. I said, why do you want to glamourise it with a cool photo? It's the worst thing ever. Once you think it's cool and start it, it's the most difficult thing to quit. Everyone says cancer, cancer – but everyone keeps on smoking. You know, a friend said this to me – the guy who's given you your first cigarette, you always hate that person for the rest of your life. The guy, and it's always a senior guy, who said "oh, come on, come on, just have one" – at that point, to fit in, people start. And then, it's with them for the rest of their life. 

Do you disagree with this? 
No, not really. 

Two years back, in an interview to DT, you said you get tired of the same questions, about why you are 'misunderstood' and how the media has decided that you're the 'bad boy, but with a heart of gold'. Has anything changed? 
Nothing. Nothing. Now it is, "Character Dheela Hai". When are you getting married? Sometimes you feel sad for those asking. I don't mind them, I see it as a timepass thing. There is no meaning to this. It is the same as the baba and bhoot stories on channels. Everybody knows it is bull but they still watch it. 

I heard from a cine source that for all the branding Salman has got because of the black buck case, the reality is that in a group of people, all of whom were equally involved – or equally not involved – one guy chooses to say, I'll carry it all on my head, you can walk off. 
(Silence for a minute) 
I don't know the jungle. I am from Bombay. If you put me in a forest, or if you even put me in a street in Mumbai itself – Kandivili, Dharavi, Virar, Kolaba – I may not know how to get back. You're expecting me to go 30-40 km in the middle of the jungle, in the middle of the night, driving a Gypsy, with a searchlight in my hand, without a driver, without anybody. While driving, find the animal, chase the animal, shoot the animal, put it back. So it's night, I'm driving with one hand, I'm holding the searchlight with the other, and I'm shooting with which hand? 

I don't even know the route back to the hotel if I am in the middle of the jungle. There is nobody to ask at midnight. And, in the middle of the same forest, they have some 370 witnesses. Come on... And it's sub judice for me. And for others, whatever information they want to spread, they can spread, true, false, anything. 

How come you haven't got mainstream political offers? 
I've got offers, but I'm not interested. I am very keen to take Being Human to a different level. I've friends in various political parties whom I have known for the longest time. If I know 15-20 people and they are doing good for their people in their own constituencies - it's more than enough. 

I've also gone to canvass for elections for people whom I have known. If a wrong person for a 5-year term, the people suffer hugely. Even if I could bring in one extra vote, it's a social thing for me. For me to leave my house, take planes all over the country, go and stand with them – when I could instead spend that day at work and make loads of money for myself - I must believe in the person. And I think a candidate should be made to sign a legal document to make him commit that he will actually do all the things he promises to do. 

So you'd rather do your own stuff than enter the political field full-time? 
Ya, my projects. From watches and t-shirts, now we're starting off pens... 

What's the structure of Being Human? People know it's to do with you, but there's a grey area about charities... 
See, it's a charitable trust, which is the Being Human charitable trust, which is totally separate. Then there are the watches, the profits that come in from them comes into that account, then after tax is paid, whatever is there goes into that specific trust. 

So from each type of activity that I do under this – I plan to open Being Human cafes, for example... My appeal is, you in any case will buy a t-shirt or a watch, so why not buy this? Instead of the money going to one guy, it goes back into helping someone. You can buy something and do charity at the same time. 

People have this impression that Salman ke paas bahut paisa hai so we don't get too many donations directly for the charitable trust right now. Friends and all come in and put in money. I have put in a lot of my own money into it. 

Apart from the impression that you already have the money, what hassles are you facing? 
Even before we launch properly, there are fakes out in the market! In the interiors, when I go for shooting, I find people wearing fakes. I feel the biggest kameena out there is the one who is doing something like this – the money which should go to a trust, he is keeping it, which is not his idea, not his product, nothing. I get so angry when I see people selling fake tees on the road, I want to stop the car, take my lighter, thwack the hell out of them and burn all the t-shirts. But then, I say, what the... 

"Dabangg" rocked, you're the star of the moment. Did the industry stand by when things were not so rocking for you? 
Everybody's got their own lives to go back to. Eventually, from where I see it, it's often all about the votes. This guy is so popular...If you've actually done something, you deserve to go inside. But if you've not done anything, then what is the thing? 
Two people tearing posters or fifty people tearing posters is shown as if the whole country has gone against you. But what about all the other people who are in support, who are praying for you? That's not taken in account. 

You'd said to us you'd buy an IPL team if it came up. A team did come up, but you didn't even bid? 
I was not interested by then. I was selfishly thinking of it as a Being Human activity. But then I realized I wouldn't be able to handle that business model. 
Sohail has picked up a team, the Celebs League. They play serious cricket. 

Cricket apart, you had become the ambassador for football in India. Phir kuch suna nahi uske baare mein. What happened? 
Nothing, I don't know. But I believe in the next 5-6 years, football is going to be a huge sport in our country. 

Arre, if you're keen on it, how come nobody's utilizing your services to promote it? 
Abhi cricket-cricket itna hai ki if you go football-football, it won't have that hype, it'll just be a waste. There has to be the right time to get into it. Like we have so many stars in cricket right now, we don't have any in football. 

" Wanted", "Veer", "Dabangg", now " Ready"... 
Cinema like this keeps you fit, rather than doing romantic comedies. 
I never thought these characters would turn out to be superheroes. I never thought that a Radhey Mohan or a Veer or even a Chulbul Pandey would be the character it finally became... 

The typical Salman entry anywhere, hands in pocket, that stride, the shades - even when you're not posing, just stepping out at the airport, the pictures scream "star". Acquired or natural? 
That's the way I always walk, even when I was in school...! 
Do people write roles for you, the current action hero? 
No. 

No? 
Everybody, when he comes to you for a film, is not going to say that I had offered this film first to so-and-so and he refused to do it so I came to you. He'll come to you and say, this is a script written just for you, and if you don't agree, we won't make it. I've tried that, ok, so I won't do it. Now you won't make it? And they are like, arre, sir, picture toh banani hi padegi. Sab bolne ki baatein hai. We are family, we are friends... 

Who are your friends? 
My family are my friends first. Sanju and me don't meet very much but we're still very close. Aamir, Monish Behl. We don't meet for months and months, but when we do, we connect hugely. 

Your friends in their 20s, your gang – how differently do you see them, how do they see you, now that you're this big? 
You know, when people make it, they say I had this instinct, I had this intuition, it's all humbug. Things don't happen just because you're sure it will happen. Nobody knows what the future holds. 

Did your friends then think you would get this far? 
Nobody believed it. Nobody believed I was going to make it. But today, when you speak to them, it will all be – 'oh, we knew he worked so hard, he was so dedicated, we always knew...' But I remember the conversations of that time! 

A lot of celebs seem to take to rather fancy models of stress management, breaks, and so on. You still sleep for just 3-4 hours a day? 
Ya, that's the amount of sleep I get. And I don't understand this – people study or work their a** off to succeed, to become what they have to become, and when they make it, and suddenly they go, 'Oh, man, so much work, so much stress.' What is the other side of it? No work. How would you handle that stress? So if you're doing something you like, you shouldn't be stressed about that. 

How has the body handled the stress and the ageing, from the day you first did that one-handed push-up on screen in " Maine Pyaar Kiya"? 
I've done that again in "Ready". After "MPK" the first time I tried it was in "Ready", and I've done that in the movie. 

How much effort does it take now? 
A lot more; a lot more. You have a lot more energy in your twenties. You are more energetic, more agile. Now, every year, you're expected to compete with what you did one year earlier. That one year, very soon, for me has added up to twenty years – and I'm still expected to compete with that year, 20 years back. To do at 45 which you did at 25 is very difficult – but then, all the guys are managing it. There's Aamir, there's Shah Rukh, there's Akki, there's Sanju. 

What's the industry's response to the Morani's name coming up in the 2G scam? 
I've done a huge number of shows with them. In fact, all actors have done a lot of shows with them. They've been very good to everyone. If there is something, if there are documents or whatever, there should be an enquiry, and if they are innocent, their name should be cleared. 

I've been to jail, Sanju's been to jail, many people in the industry have faced court cases, etc. Making money out of somebody's misery is the biggest profession right now. As soon as you are stuck, it just goes on, goes on. Even if you are innocent, people are scared to let you go. They say: If we let him go, the press will say they are big people, you must have taken money. Decisions about anyone should be made on facts, not under pressure. 

You'd got some things installed in Jodhpur jail? 
No, I wanted to do that, but I couldn't. I'd submitted details of what they needed, of what we could do. But they didn't want it. I offered to get solar heaters, to build bathrooms. Because I know the way people live inside. The human rights activists should go into jails to realize how people live inside. 

And the tragedy is that I hear that in monsoons, poor people do petty crimes to be put in jail, because their life out of jail is worse, inside at least they have a roof and three meals a day. The conditions inside jails are the worst. 

I'd even offered that people who are eligible for bail – for a bail amount of four, five thousand rupees, he can't afford it, so he is in jail – we could arrange those amounts. I asked, if the person is such a criminal, surely he can arrange that money? But he can't. And when we offer to, the argument is that, what if he he comes out and does something else? Arre! 

This is the sort of thing I really want to do, but somewhere, I've not been able to pull it off. But there will be a time when I will do this, I will pull it off. 

It's stayed on your mind. 
Yes. I'm asked why do you want to do things only for jails? Why? Because I've been there. And while there are criminals, there are also a lot of innocent people in jails. There are guys who are in jail for 20, 30, 40 years, they don't know what to do if they come out! A jail official told me that 70% of the people behind bars are innocent. And the ones who are the real crooks – they say, we will go back and continue to do this, but why are these people in here, who have no idea what crime they committed? People are picked up as terrorists who have no idea what they are in for.  

They should do a survey someday on how many people have given how many government officials – from judges to income-tax to police to others – how much amount of money. The masses do it to make their lives slightly easier, and now, the other side has got used to it. 

Am assuming stuff about your relationships and your rivalries doesn't affect you – but when you speak on something like 26/11, and people begin to tear into you, surely that must be unnerving? 
Yes, and all these things are raised at the time of the release. Obama came and he said the same things. Obama ko bhi jaa ke pakarte na. Who am I to give a clean chit to anybody, yaar? What I'd heard in the news, I was saying exactly that. If by me saying that I am sorry if I've hurt your sentiments, it helps, I will do it... 
We live in India. Born, brought up, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. We are facing terrorism here. People there are also facing it. I am talking about the common man. I'm not talking about the politicians. If the politicians had the capability to sort it out, they'd have sorted it out a long time ago. I am talking about common people working from morning to night to support their families. 

Would you keep quiet on things that impacted you, worried that it may lead to another controversy? 
No, if it matters to me, I will speak out. I think people who do adulteration of food and drink should be hanged, I feel very strongly about that. And I think the press should be more worried about such things than the great national issues of when is Salman Khan getting married, Salman and another actor don't get along, Salman has broken up with his girlfriend. These things people know.

Salman Khan speaks to Sheela, Shagun & Meenakshi

Salman Talk About Ready & More (NDTV Interview Glimpse)

Winners of 58th National Awards

Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
Dabangg

Best Feature Film (Hindi) 
Do Dooni Chaar

Best Feature Film (Marathi) 
Mana Ayi Vacha

Best Feature Film (English) 
Memories In March 

Best Actor
Dhanush - Aadukalam (Tamil) and Salim Kumar - Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam) 

Best Actress
Mitalee Jagtap - Baboo Band Baja (Marathi) and Saranya - Thenmerku Paruvakkaatru (Tamil) 

Best Feature Film Award
Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam) 

Best Feature Film (Kannada) 
Putukarna Highway

Best Feature film (Tamil) 
Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru

Special mention
Aadukalam (Tamil) 

Supporting Actor
Ramiyah Thampi - Mynaa (Tamil). 

Supporting Actress
Sukumari - Nammagramam (Tamil) 

Best Director (Feature) 
Vetrimaran - Aadukalam (Tamil) 

Best Director (Non-Feature) 
Arunima Sharma- Shyam Raat Seher (Hindi & English) 

Best Music Director
Vishal Bhardwaj - Ishqiya (Hindi) 

Best Background Score
Issak Thomas Kottakapally - Adaminte Makan Abu

Best Audiography
Kamod Karade - Ishqiya (Hindi) 

Best Playback (Male) 
Suresh Wadkar - Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi) 

Best Playback Singer (Female) 
Rekha Bhardwaj - Ishqiya (Hindi) 

Best Lyrics
Vairamuthu - Thenmerkku Paruvakkatru (Tamil) 

Best Screenplay (Original) 
Vetrimaran - Aadukalam (Tamil) 

Best Cinamatography 
Madhu Ambat - Adaminte Makan Abu (Malayalam) 

Best Editing
TE Kishore - Aadukalam (Tamil) 

Best Choreography
Dinesh Kumar - Aadukalam (Tamil) 

Best Special Effects 
V Srinivas and M Mohan - Enthiran (Tamil) 

Best Production Design
Sabu Cyril - Enthiran (Tamil) 

Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
Moner Manush (Bengali) 

Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Director
Rajesh Pinjani - Baboo Band Baja

Special Jury Award Marathi film 
Mee Sindhutai Sakpal. 

Best Make-up Artist Award
Vikram Gaikwad, Moner Maanush

Best Child Artist
Shantanu Ranglekar, Vivek, Harsh Myal

Best Children's Film 
Hejjegalu (Kannada) 

Best Sci & Tech Film
Heart to Heart

Best Sports Film
Boxing Ladies

Special Jury Award 
Kabira Khada Baazar Mein

Best Art & Culture Film
Leaving Home

Best Debut Non-feature Film
Tistulia

Best Film on Social Issues
Champions

Best Film on Environment
Beetari Jeeva

Sooraj Barjatya Interview(After Maine Pyaar Kiya)

Here’s an interview with director Sooraj Barjatya on the making of ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’:

SM: Describe your initial days in Bollywood, and where did the idea of Maine Pyaar Kiya come from ?

Sooraj Barjatya: I was very fortunate to be born in a film family. I learnt editing at the age of 12. By the time I was 16 I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker. I left my studies and joined Mahesh Bhatt as an assistant and that was something remarkable. I realized what film making is.

Then I wrote a script. My father saw that script and said, ‘Ye abhi nahi, pehle apni umar ke hisaab se koi film banao.’ Then he gave me a Rajasthani folktale and said: ‘Ek banjaara apni beti ko chorr ke jata hai apne dost ke paas kamaaney. Jab laut ke aata hai toh dekhta hai apni beti ki insult ho rahi hai.’ That’s all he said and told me to write a full script for this plot – a proper commercial one. I said I am not a writer. He said, “Write. Likho tum jo feel kar rahe ho tumhari umar mein iss samay.” I took 6 months to write the first half and 4 months to write the second half.

SM: How did you get Salman Khan for that role? He told me he was hesitant to do the role.

Sooraj Barjatya: Yeah, it was because of the kind of films Rajshri made till ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’. A lot of actresses who worked with us earlier had won Filmfare awards, but none of our heroes did, with the exception of Mr Anupam Kher for Saraansh. Humari village ki filmein thhi, soft filmien hoti thhi. I am sure ki Salman ke mind mein woh raha hoga.

Anyway we tested a girl for the heroine’s role in ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’. Her name was Shabina Dutt. She failed the screen test but we asked her if she could suggest any actor for the lead. She told us she had done an ad film with a new comer and that he was Salim Khan’s son.

I don’t remember which ad. May be it was a Lakhani ad. Now I thought, Salim saab ke son kya karenge humare saath kaam. Hum toh new director hain. But still I called him up. The first time when I saw him at the reception, I remember him sitting there. Ek simple shirt thi aur ek jeans thi. I met him and I thought he is quite ordinary, very thin. But when he showed me his photograph it was magical. The way he sat, the way he stood, the way he looked – those eyes, they were magical. Then I narrated the script and the script just struck both of us somewhere. Me narrating and him listening and that’s where this thing worked. And then we went through tests after tests because that time he had a problem with dialogue delivery. His dancing was not that good. That was like all of us and then unfortunately he already had a film on floors called ‘Biwi Ho To Aisi’. But we got no one better than him so…

SM: Interesting! You mentioned he had a problem with dialogue delivery. I remember his voice in the film you mentioned, his first film ‘Biwi Ho To Aisi’. His voice was dubbed by someone else, it’s not Salman’s voice. Talk to me about working with Salman initially. Was he difficult?

Sooraj Barjatya: No, it was like both of us were ready to give our lives for one shot. We were like 21 years old. Bhagyashree was about 18, so it was just a make or break for us. There was never any argument, he respected me I respected him.

The first day was the office scene I remember with Mohnish, Salman and Rajeev Varma ji. It was the first day of shoot where Rajiv Verma tells Salman that you have to go. You cannot stay here to celebrate Bhagyashree’s birthday. That was the first scene we shot. And then we shot continuously over 5-6 months. We had huge sets. 6 months, yeah. That’s it, dekhte dekhte.

SM: And I remember Salman’s accessories – his jacket, the famous ‘friend’ cap. There were little pouches and very American style posters. So was that from you or was that from him?

Sooraj Barjatya: No, that was mine. I was fascinated by ‘Top Gun’, so we designed something like top gun for him (the jacket). The Friend cap was my idea because I felt there has to be a communication between the boy and the girl. The posters were all my art director’s. He said if you want we’ll use those posters. Then there was a wall of Salman’s own photos. Some of them were shot by Monish. Few of them we put.

SM: And how did Bhagyashree come in?

Sooraj Barjatiya: I think the credit goes to my father. I think we were stuck on the heroine. There was no heroine and the heroine I wanted was working with a director like Yash Chopra and an actor like Anil Kapoor, and we were nothing. So we were hesitant. I remember there was a top heroine shooting in Chennai at that time and I booked my ticket and I said I will just go and sign her. And my father had gone to Allahabad at that time to hunt for talent. That was the desperation at that time. From one of the stations, mid-way, he called me up in the middle of night and said, “Wait for a day. I have a magazine in front of me where there’s a photograph of the girl who has acted in ‘Kachchi Dhoop’. Her name is Bhagyashree Patwardhan, and we know her family. Wait for a day, I think she’ll suit.” And we stopped. And that’s how she came.

SM: Any favourite scene between Bhagyashree and Salman?

Sooraj Barjatya: My favourite scene would be the Iodex scene. There was a scene in the film where Salman pushes Bhagyashree from the cycle and she falls. She’s hurt her ankle you know and he’s aware of it and she is aware that he knows she’s hurt. Then he comes to the room and says, “I can keep my eyes closed and apply Iodex.”

SM: And the music of the film…

Sooraj Barjatiya: In fact a lot of credit goes to Ram Laxman ji. Because there is this song ‘Dil deewaana, bin sajna ke maane na’ which was his favourite. He composed that song when he had nothing to eat. So that song was very dear to him because that song came out of desperation. But he gave it to me. He didn’t give it to any other director over the last 20 years. That was his love for me. So, there is a lot of history. In ‘kabootar ja’ there was no kabootar song as such. But there was a situation where I did not want the word ‘love’ word to come. The lyrics writer Asif said, “Main likhoon kya, kamre main aur kya hai?” Maine kaha ladki ka taap hai, kabootar hai…’ And he wrote the song. I could not even imagine that Lata ji will agree to sing for a newcomer like me. When Lata ji agreed to sing the whole project went up.

SM: There was the Antakshari scene. Full-fledged antakshari scene for the first time and it was successful. You were the first one to exploit these classic Indian rituals and traditions like antakshri , ‘joota chhupayi’…

Sooraj Barjatiya: I don’t know how it happened but I always wanted that whatever happens it has to happen in the family. That was what I’ve always wanted. So when you see people sitting together, there is enough free time, you have to keep awake in the nights. So what do you do? Either you dance or play antakshari. That’s something I have done. It took me 3 months to coin this antakshari which is 10 minutes or so. It took me 3 months to coin one song after the other. I edited it myself, gave it to the music director, they coined it, and credit must go to Lata ji.

It’s the only film and the only song in which she has sung someone else’s song. The heroine is singing a Rafi song, so Lata ji is singing a Rafi song. So that’s Lata ji singing ‘I love you’, an Alisha song which is so wonderful to see her singing someone else’s song.

SM: Lastly, two characters that i found very interesting and entertaining Laxmikant Berde who became an instant hit and the vamp. Who was the vamp in the film ?

Sooraj Barjatiya: Laxmikant unfortunately is no more. I was very close to him. He was the only ‘star’ at that time when I signed him for Maine Pyaar Kiya. Others were all newcomers except for Alok ji. And the cigarette scene from the film; he improvised a lot in that scene . That scene was very good on paper but when he took it up, he added his yoga poses, he added his comedy and the timing he had with Salman. These are the memories that I have in my mind.

Perveen is someone I picked from English stage. I was hunting for a girl to play the negative role, someone with an English accent. So where do I hunt? There were no acting schools at that time. There was an English stage of… I’m forgetting the name. But that’s when I saw her, with the curls and making those faces. Next day I called her and she was there. It just happened. Some films have to be made so things fall in place. That’s all I can actually reason. There’s no reason. It had to happen.

Salman is ready for another remake - Mirapakai

After 'Wanted', 'Ready', 'Bodyguard', 'Kick', Salman seems keen to work in another south superhit – 'Mirapakai'. 

It seems like Salman Khan is supremely impressed by South Indian cinema. His Wanted which was remade from Pokiri turned out to be a superhit and ever since then he has been working on South Indian remakes. All his promising upcoming releases including Ready ,Bodyguard and Kick happen to be South remakes. 

This time Salman Khan seems impressed by a Telugu film called Mirapakai . The film released in January this year and was a huge hit. Mirapakai stars Telugu superstar Ravi Teja in the role of a cop from the intelligence bureau. Perhaps Salman Khan wants to carry forward his cop image after the success of Dabangg . If industry insiders are to be believed, the film will be produced by Sohail Khan and they plan to take the director of the original, Harish Shankar to make the Hindi remake as well. 

Interestingly the Telugu remake of Salman Khan's Dabangg which is titled Gabbar Singh and stars Pawan Kalyan is being directed by Harish Shankar. 

More interestingly Mirapakai means Red Chillies, which is what Ravi Teja's character is fondly called by his colleagues for his hot-n-happening attitude. We guess the Red Chillies connotation has nothing to do with Shah Rukh Khan.

Reflections: Salman Khan - Has the sleeping lion been woken up?

By Joginder Tuteja, May 11, 2011 - 16:11 IST

'Kya yeh phir se same-same cheez har picture mein karega?'


That's pretty much the question which is heard near the aisles whenever a talk veers towards Salman Khan. After all the man has brought back 'masala' into the vogue and how. With Wanted and Dabangg being huge money spinners and Ready all set to lead to a hat trick, there is no doubt that the man has won over the masses in a big way. However, an overdose of anything is not quite a favourable option for any and every superstar. No wonder, even hardcore fans of Salman are expected to ask for that 'something different' from him after a while.


The going is good for Salman as of now and the way things stand today, it would be till end of year at the least withBodyguard all set to be a huge success as well. But what after that? Is there a game plan that Salman has in mind?


Though the man sounds ever so casual in his conversations around his career, can one truly believe that in his own personal space too he is as casual? Or is there a master-planner at work which doesn't talk but delivers? And that too without making much ado? Will the two decade plus experience come in handy for Salman and will he strike with something totally different well before one would actually see it coming? Or will he just flow by tide and change only when he is thrown in a precarious situation?


Let's discuss in this week's 'Reflections'.


Not quite selective


He started off with a blockbuster (Maine Pyaar Kiya) and his last film was one as well (Dabangg). However, one thing that has remained consistent in Salman's 22 years long career is 'not being over selective' when it comes to the choice of his films. He may deliver a huge hit but that won't necessarily make him wait for only the best of the best to come his way next. Unlike an Aamir or a Shah Rukh who have at least in the decade gone by become choosy with their assignments, Salman has gained more from numbers. At times he may have everything fall in place, hence resulting in back to back successes. On the other hand, at times he would have had to wait for a while before something big happened all by itself.


Never underestimate this Khan


This is the reason why the phrase 'never underestimate me' is pretty much the middle name of Salman Khan. Even his worst detractors and the closest competitors would agree that Salman can strike anytime, from anywhere and against anyone. He may be totally down and out and one may believe that his next would be yet another routine flick. However, what may happen is something totally on the contrary with an underdog turning out to be a brutal killer. This happened last with Wanted which not many gave a chance before it's release because a) it took quite some time to be made and b) it came after a series of duds in Yuvvraaj, Heroes, God Tussi Great Ho, Saawariya and Marigold: An Adventure In India.


This wasn't the first time when it had happened. Before the promos of another delayed film of his, Partner, had started making an impression, his last success was two years back in No Entry. The list of flops that filled in this time period,Salaam-E-Ishq, Baabul, Jaan-E-Mann, Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar, Saawan - The Love Season and Kyon Ki was something that Salman would want to erase pronto from his filmography.


This Khan made some bad decisions too


There was a time during the late 90s and early 00s when Salman was doing majority of films where he looked the same, acted in the same way and romanced the same set of heroines. Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukerjee and Preity Zinta were the hot favourites in that era and Salman was obviously signing most films with them. Not all of them struck gold though as films like Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa, Yeh Hai Jalwa, Kahi Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, Chal Mere Bhai, Hello Brother as well as Jaanam Samjha Karo flopped one after another.


It was the same old Salman that one saw on screen. The one who could well have given Jumping Jack Jeetendra a complex when it came to wisecracks on screen. There was nothing new about what he did, his songs and dances looked the same, his characterisation was such that he could have walked from one set of a film to another and no one would have noticed. Even in Biwi No. 1 or Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya he was 'being Salman Khan' and except for the penultimate reels of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, the story was no different.


Yes, this was the time when he was doing a lot of films for friends and family and the script power went for a toss. However this is when he decided to experiment. Just when everyone gave up on Salman Khan, he struck (and how) with Tere Naam. This film was perhaps his first attempt at going totally massy and though the film wasn't a huge success theatrically, today it has gained a cult status amidst his fan base.


That was one of the many instances of Salman power which was up for display at the time when one least suspected it.


There have been many other examples


No one even knew that there was a film called Bandhan being made till a month before it's release. Many wrote it off a week prior to the D-day while critics were unanimous in terming it as an unmitigated disaster on the first Friday. What happened was just the opposite. This small unassuming film turned out to be one of the biggest profit makers of the year. Today it may have been well forgotten and is not even a hot favourite on satellite or home video. But somehow the charm of seeing Salman Khan extracting a knife out of his bare body was a good enough reason for masses to check it out.


Ditto was the case with Hum Aapke Hain Kaun which came after six consecutive duds like Dil Tera Ashiq, Chandramukhi, Nishchay, Jagruti, Ek Ladka Ek Ladki and Suryavanshi. The man had been written off by one and all but the film went on to join the list of all time blockbusters.


What does that prove? 


Success of films belonging to diverse genres like Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (family social), Bandhan (action drama), Tere Naam (romantic musical tragedy), No Entry (out and out comedy) and Wanted (out and out action thriller) proves that Salman is not quite keeping his eyes closed when it comes to shifting genres as the need arises. He may decide to pick up a genre that suits him best at one stage of his career but he knows where to drop the ball and move on to another court.


Of course there have been instances of faux pas in the past where he has held on to the ball for wee bit longer and as a result of which he has suffered as well. But as has been mentioned earlier, in today's time he is not waiting forever to keep his eyes on the other court.


Rest assured, he knew that post Dabangg the need of the hour was to pick up assignments like Ready and Bodyguard that went well with his current image and fetched him the best results. However, he has also been smart enough to realise that from 2012 onwards he needs to have a different set of films against his name. And if one thought that he may be stepping into multiple assignments post Dabangg then (thankfully) that hasn't happened either with Salman clearly declaring that favours for friends was definitely out of question.


Thank goodness for that as the first step in this direction has been to make peace with Yash Raj Films by consenting to do their Ek Tha Tiger. In addition to that he also has Sajid Nadiadwala's Kick in hand with which he gets into the Dhoom territory. Not to forget his Sher Khan where 3D technology will come into play as well.


The final word


No wonder, there is something really behind a casual demeanour that gets hit by something spectacular indeed that makes Salman shrug away his slumber and strive for some reinvention. It's as simple as that; behind that facade of 'care a damn attitude', there is this sleeping lion that suddenly wakes up in the middle of the night and creates all the mayhem. And says, 'Beware'!

Hot Salman Khan in wax!

Cartoon Features Salman

Salman not Interested in SRK's contract

While he had asked for a copy of Aamir Khan's contract, Salman seemed disinterested when YRF tried to bargain the deal showing him SRK's remuneration. 

It was recently reported that Salman Khan had asked for a copy of Aamir Khan's contract, for the film he signed with YRF. Salman, who usually doesn't work outside his friend circle or family, was a bit skeptical about signing a film produced by Aditya Chopra and so wanted to ensure that he gets the best deal. 

On the other hand, Yash Raj officials tried to use Shah Rukh Khan's contract to bargain the deal with Salman Khan. Their line of argument was that they are paying Salman Khan the kind of money which they don't even pay to their favourite actor Shah Rukh Khan. However Salman Khan was not amused with the comparison. 

Most actors (Shah Rukh Khan inclusive) are known to willingly accept lower paychecks to get a chance to work with the prestigious Yash Raj banner. However Salman Khan, who doesn't really share a friendly rapport with the Chopras and would be starring in a Yash Raj film for the first time, isn't amongst those who would make any compromise for the banner. 

The Yash Raj film for which Salman Khan is being considered will be directed by Kabir Khan and Katrina Kaif will be paired opposite him. 

As per trade circles, Yash Raj made an exception and signed Aamir Khan for Dhoom 3 at sky-high price. Will Salman Khan be lucky enough to get the same treatment like Aamir Khan? With the super-success of Dabangg , Salman has all the more reason to not budge from his high monetary demands. But then again Yash Chopra had once made statement that he didn't like Dabangg !

Salman, Katrina Together Again in Yash Chopra Movie

Seeing is believing, so the saying goes. And when we laid our hands on these photographs of Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif at a photo shoot for their film, we realised that break-up or not, this couple is sheer magic together. This is the first time that former lovers are coming together on screen as lovers, post their break-up. 

The former lovers shot for this look test for Kabir Khan's film titled Ek Tha Tiger and the chemistry was evident right from the very first click. To be honest, SalKat did remind us of the good times when they were seeing each other. They do look great together. Written and produced by Aditya Chopra, the film is a romantic thriller and he went out of his way to woo Salman for this project. Kabir's film also marks Salman's debut in the Chopra production house. Salman says, "In the past, Adi and I have met a few times on various projects but somehow when Kabir and he came to me with this particular story, we all just knew that this was the one. It is a very ambitious project and will be a challenge for all of us, but that's exactly what makes it such a big draw. Above all this, I'm honoured to be working with Yashji, who has worked so closely with my dad in the past."

Obviously, Yash Chopra is also very excited to have Sallu on board. "Everyone knows my association with Salim saab, having worked together on Deewaar, Trishul and Kaala Patthar. It is a very happy moment for us to have his son Salman with us for the first time. Over the years, Salman has become a very matured and talented actor and both he and Katrina have a tremendous connect with their audiences."
The film goes on floors in early July and is slated for a mid-2012 release.

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Ready Music Review

From Bollywood Hungama

EXPECTATIONS

Now this is what one calls a perfect project in the making. Salman Khan, Anees Bazmee, Pritam, Bhushan Kumar and that promise of an out and out entertainer - one strongly believes that the music of Ready can't really go wrong. There are movies that are termed as popcorn entertainers; now here is a soundtrack which one believes would be the kind that would be best enjoyed when being a little high. Though four different lyricists - Amitabh Bhattacharya, Neelesh Misra, Ashish Pandit and Kumaar - are roped in for a song apiece with Devi Sri Prasad also chipping in as a guest composer, you look forward to whetherReady indeed has enough 'dum' in it to be the biggest commercial soundtrack of the year so far.

MUSIC

Pritam lends a fantastic start to Ready with 'Character Dheela' and what actually catches your instant attention is the fact that despite this being a Salman Khan entertainer, the song has the trademark sound that the composer is known for lending to his songs. If one has liked the kind of tunes that Pritam has composed for Shahid in films like Kismat Konnection, Jab We Met and Badmaash Company, he is bound to totally lap up 'Character Dheela' due to the Salman element being cleverly integrated by Amitabh Bhattacharya through his smart lyrics (don't miss that reference to 'Munni' and 'Sheila').

Going totally by Salman's on/off screen image which in any case is hardly different these days, 'Character Dheela' by Neeraj Shridhar and Amrita Kak is a lot of fun for those four minutes that it plays. An interesting choreography with Zarine Khan exuding oomph (a distinct shift from her Veer image) is another good reason that further consolidates the fact that 'Character Dheela' would entice a lot of 'seetis' and 'taalis' when it plays on screen. A chartbuster all the way that also arrives in a 'remix' and accentuates the fun.

What follows next is the kind of romantic number that Salman had to his name in dozens during the 90s. Written by Neelesh Misra, 'Humko Pyar Hua' also has short English portions in between the 'antra' and has KK going subtle in his rendition with Tulsi Kumar giving him good support. Though the original tune as well as it's remix is fine and doesn't give any reason to complain, it is nowhere close to the kind that Salman has enjoyed inVeer (Surili Ankhiyon Wali) and Dabangg (Tere Mast Mast Nain). At the end of it all, 'Humko Pyar Hua' is one harmless number that will find some popularity going for it only after the film turns out to be a success.

What is definitely going to be popular though in the very first go is 'Dhinka Chika' which is all set to be the biggest chartbuster of the first half of 2011 at the least. A re-done version of Telugu number 'Ringa Ringa' (Arya 2) with the original composer Devi Sri Prasad being roped in here, 'Dhinka Chika' (also arriving again in the 'remix version') has Mika Singh and Amrita Kak bringing on the kind of attitude that was pretty much required for the song of this genre. Ashish Pandit's lyrics are as 'chalu' as it gets and reminds one of the songs that were made for Mithun Chakravorty, Jeetendra and Govinda during the 80s. Expect frenzy in theaters, especially single screens, when the song plays on screen.

Pritam returns on the scene with a quintessential North Indian 'shaadi byaah' celebration track 'Meri Ada Bhi' that starts off with the folk rendition of much heard 'Laung Gawacha'. A rhythmic track that surprisingly has Rahat Fateh Ali Khan at the helm of affairs (since he is known more for his soulful melodies rather than dance numbers), 'Meri Ada Bhi' is what one terms as the kind of number which has been made for family audience. Tulsi Kumar too is pretty much in elements here for this song that at places does tend to veer towards 'U and I' (Pritam's composition from De Dana Dan at places) courtesy the way Rahat approaches it before the composer manages to pull it all back.

OVERALL
Any regrets from Ready? Only one which is - 'it finishes off too soon'. From an album of this stature one expected at least a couple of more songs to make it a wholesome affair. However, with only four songs in the album, one longs to lay hands on a lot more. Nonetheless, from what is made available, there are good enough reasons to celebrate with 'Dhinka Chika' and 'Character Dheela' all set to be not just huge hits musically but also turn out to be massive crowd pullers. On the other hand 'Meri Ada Bhi' ends up adding good variety to the album with 'Humko Pyar Hua' carrying a potential to gather steam once the film releases. Once on shelves, Ready should be a sell-out due to all around craze amongst audience to check out what the music is all about. However, the momentum is only going to continue after the film hits the screens.

OUR PICK(S)
Dhinka Chika, Character Dheela, Meri Ada Bhi